Culture and Tourism Minister's First 100 Days

Minister Jero Wacik's Plans for First 100 Days Taking Shape.

(11/8/2004) All the Ministerial appointments to the United Indonesia cabinet of President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono have been tasked to prepare a action plan covering their first 100 days in office.

Similarly, Minister of Culture and Tourism Jero Wacik has gradually begun revealing details of his plans for Indonesia's tourism sector and the major steps we can expect during his first 100 days:

• Following his visit to Bali on October 29, 2004, the Minister returned to Jakarta and held meetings with immigration authorities, the Department of Justice and Human Rights, and the Ministry for State Owned Enterprises requesting that the number of countries eligible to obtain Visas-on-Arrival be expanded and that services to travelers be improved at Visa Sections of Indonesian embassies and at gateway airports.

• The Minister has also formally asked that some of the more than US$29 million collected from Visa-on-Arrival fees be shared among various departments, including a share of these funds for tourism promotion.

• Minister Wacik has reaffirmed that he is confident total foreign tourism arrivals for Indonesia will reach 5 million for 2004, increasing to 5.5 million in 2005, and he has projected foreign visitors to surpass 8 million by 2009.

• He has also volunteered his asistance to the tourism sector in lending the influence of his office to help eliminate bureaucratic and regulatory impediments seen as holding back tourism development.